As we all know safety is number one on a haunters priority list. After reading some of the other safety posts posted by others, and exchanging ideas and messages with nightmaretony, I have decided that with Tony’s help, this is a subject that I should give my two cents worth. Not all of you know that I previously was a Volunteer Firefighter/Emergency Medical Technician. My knowledge of this field has brought some important things that I would all like to share with everyone, even those who do not operate a haunt.

Most of you are well aware of the standers set forth by your State Fire Marshals office and the NFPA. We all worry about building codes and making sure our haunt is safe enough for staff and paying customers, but have you thought about your haunt being safe for the emergency crews that respond to an incident at your haunt? We need to also remember to make it easy for EMS crews to enter your haunt in case of an emergency.

Now I know some of you have your haunts in pre-existing houses and some of you are in commercial buildings. Those of you who operate in a commercial type building and construct their own haunt walls, like the idea of having twists and turns and tight corners. But did you ever think that this could hinder the rescue of a medical emergency patient in your haunt? For those patients that are not mobile such as a cardiac arrest patient, EMS crews need to be able to access your haunt quickly without many obstacles. I know that you are thinking “we post signs and suggest that people with heart conditions should not enter a haunted attraction dew to the scare factor”, but I hate to tell you anyone can suffer cardiac arrest even if they don’t have a cardiac history. You also need to remember that there are all kinds of different emergency issues. People could fall and become unconscious or break a leg. Those categories that I have shared with you, all of those patients will need to be extracted via ambulance cot/stretcher, adult sized long backboard, or a stare chair.

The point I am trying to make is operations with backboards and stretchers; need to be made easy for emergency crews, without “tipping the patient in anyway” for a fast extrication from your haunt. I researched different sizes of stretchers and backboards so you can have an idea what emergency crews have to work with.

Ř A standard stretcher is: is 83’’ Long and is 24’’ wide. Most new designs have hinges on the front and rear sections of the frame, allowing them to be dropped to 61’’ in length. This can only be done if the patient is sitting up right.

Ř A standard adult sized long backboard is 65’’. Just like the stretcher they to can be adjusted according to patient height.

For those who operate an outdoor haunt, most of you do not have to worry about tight corners. Now for those who operate in an actual house, it is not always easy to accommodate for such emergencies.

Not only do you have to worry about EMS crews, but also you want to make sure it’s safe for firefighters in case of a fire. A suggestion for this matter, maybe hold a fire and medical drill before opening each season with your local Fire and EMS Dept.’s. This way if something does happen, Fire and EMS crews no what to expect when they enter your haunt. If you have questions about holding such a drill PM me and I will help where I can. The more steps you take to be safe the better, who knows but it will make you look good in front of a judge as well.

I know we all run a very hectic schedule each year to successfully open our haunts, but it’s worth something to think about. And by all means I am not suggesting revamping your whole haunt, but maybe considering this as you remodel sets and hall throughout the haunt.

Feel free to ask me question regarding this topic, and I will do my best to answer! If you want to check out other lengths of backboards or strechers or any other equipment, you can check out this web page: www.ferno.com

Also being a EMT/Fire Fighter for 5 years i'l have to agree with Mr. Haunt on the safty aspects. Although being a haunt owner I can also tell ya its almost next to impossible to design a haunt which would allow the use of streachers and backboards. The way to get around this would be to have a center "emergency" space or hallway of some sort which leads to an emergency exit. This way the customer could be carried (if a firefighter knows his job he'll be able to carry the customer regardless of size) into this area and a timly and safe manner, and then out the door. Another item Mr. Haunt left out is to have a AED available on site incase someone would happen to go into cardiac arrest. They are becoming cheaper and very easy to use.